Beer 101: Styles - California Common

For this week's beer style, I decided to do a style that I like very much. It is the California Common, also known as Steam Beer. This is one of the only styles indigenous to the United States. It started when immigrants wanted to make lagers, but didn't have refrigeration to get the beer down to proper lagering temperatures. Therefore, it is a beer that uses a lager yeast strain, but ferments at temperatures closer to those found when fermenting ales. This higher fermentation temperature produces fruitier esters than would normally be present in a traditional lager.

For a twist on the style, and the only beer style indigenous to Kentucky, try New Albanian's Phoenix Kentucky Kommon. Roger told me the whole story one time, but I don't want to get it wrong. If I can get him to type it out, maybe I'll post it here on the site. (By the way, NABC also makes a pretty kickass Common as well, called Mt. Lee) Anyway, here is the California Common. Enjoy.

California Common Beer

Aroma: Typically showcases the signature Northern Brewer
hops (with woody, rustic or minty qualities) in moderate to
high strength. Light fruitiness acceptable. Low to moderate
caramel and/or toasty malt aromatics support the hops. No
diacetyl.

Appearance: Medium amber to light copper color. Generally
clear. Moderate off-white head with good retention.

Flavor: Moderately malty with a pronounced hop bitterness.
The malt character is usually toasty (not roasted) and caramelly.
Low to moderately high hop flavor, usually showing
Northern Brewer qualities (woody, rustic, minty). Finish fairly
dry and crisp, with a lingering hop bitterness and a firm,
grainy malt flavor. Light fruity esters are acceptable, but otherwise
clean. No diacetyl.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium to medium-high carbonation.
Overall Impression: A lightly fruity beer with firm, grainy
maltiness, interesting toasty and caramel flavors, and showcasing
the signature Northern Brewer varietal hop character.

History: American West Coast original. Large shallow open
fermenters (coolships) were traditionally used to compensate
for the absence of refrigeration and to take advantage of the
cool ambient temperatures in the San Francisco Bay area. Fermented
with a lager yeast, but one that was selected to thrive
at the cool end of normal ale fermentation temperatures.

Comments: This style is narrowly defined around the prototypical
Anchor Steam example. Superficially similar to an
American pale or amber ale, yet differs in that the hop flavor/
aroma is woody/minty rather than citrusy, malt flavors are
toasty and caramelly, the hopping is always assertive, and a
warm-fermented lager yeast is used.

Ingredients: Pale ale malt, American hops (usually Northern
Brewer, rather than citrusy varieties), small amounts of toasted
malt and/or crystal malts. Lager yeast, however some strains
(often with the mention of “California” in the name) work
better than others at the warmer fermentation temperatures
(55 to 60°F) used. Note that some German yeast strains produce
inappropriate sulfury character. Water should have relatively
low sulfate and low to moderate carbonate levels.

Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.048 – 1.054
IBUs: 30 – 45
FG: 1.011 – 1.014
SRM: 10 – 14
ABV: 4.5 – 5.5%

Commercial Examples: New Albanian Mt. Lee, Anchor Steam, Southampton Steem
Beer, Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager